BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University’s Jamarcus Ellis is no fool. He has this play-for-Kelvin-Sampson stuff down cold.

“You play smart and listen to Coach,” he says. “He knows more than I do.”

Schmoozing? Perhaps, especially with Sampson sitting next to him as he speaks, but Ellis knows enough to have earned a 3.0 grade-point average in his first semester at IU after transferring from Chipola Junior College in Florida. And if this 6-foot-5-inch guard is playing in more heralded newcomer Eric Gordon’s shadow, don’t think Sampson doesn’t recognize his value.

“You’re lucky when you find a kid like him. He’s not a great shooter, but he makes shots when you need them.”

The No. 10 Hoosiers (12-1) might need them from him tonight, when they play at Michigan (4-10) without guard Armon Bassett, who is still hampered by bone chips in his ankle.

“I always thought Jamarcus was a winner,” Sampson says. “His teams win. He scores because we need him to, not because he needs to. He figures it out.”

Ellis figures to attack every missed shot like his next five meals depend on rebounding it. If that means fighting teammates for the ball, get out of the way.

“I like getting the ball and going (down the court), and I can’t do that if I don’t have the ball,” he says. “If I have to (steal a rebound from a teammate), I will.”

Teammate DeAndre Thomas has seen this before. He grew up with Ellis in Chicago and played with him in high school and junior college.

“He’s always been like that,” Thomas says. “He’ll knock you out of the way to get the ball. It doesn’t matter if you’re on his team or not.”

IU recognizes a player every time he rebounds in double figures. It’s called signing the bubble, a reference to the bubble coaches put on basket rims during rebounding drills. Ellis has signed it four times. All-America candidate D.J. White has signed it nine times.

“It really gets me going,” Ellis says. “I’m trying to keep up with D.J. It’s hard, but it’s something I love to do.”

Sampson loves coaching it. He says Ellis is European in his passing-in-traffic approach and doing the little things well.

“That’s not something you can teach,” Sampson says. “A player has to have it.”

Ellis has reached double figures in points, rebounds and assists. He’s had two double doubles and came close to becoming the second Hoosier to record a triple double (Steve Downing did it in 1973) when he had 10 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists against Tennessee State. He also had seven turnovers. Yes, Sampson noticed.

“I think about a triple double,” Ellis says. “Coach Sampson and I have talked about it.”

Forget Big Ten road debut jitters. At Iowa last week, Ellis tied his career high for points (15), set a career high in steals (five), and added seven assists and seven rebounds.

Ellis has led IU eight times in assists, five times in rebounding and blocks, and twice in steals. He averages 8.4 points and 8.0 rebounds and has a team-leading 59 assists. Sampson calls him the Hoosiers’ most versatile player — and, perhaps, the Hoosiers most humble.

“I still have a lot to learn,” Ellis says. “Going from junior college to the Big Ten has been a big jump for me.”